Taylor + Keaton
Wedding Date & Location:
June 21st, 2024 at White Raven Venue & Retreat
The vision was simple from the start: a wedding that felt modern, neutral, and deeply rooted in the natural beauty of Montana in the summertime. With soft, understated details and the vibrant greens and blooming flowers of Missoula as the backdrop, they created a celebration that felt effortless, intentional, and completely true to them. Choosing local vendors was an important part of that vision too — not just for convenience, but as a way to share some of their favorite things about their hometown with family and friends, from great beer and BBQ to an unforgettable dance party.
When the day finally arrived, it unfolded exactly as they had hoped. With an incredible team of vendors handling every detail, they were able to be fully present and soak in each moment without stress. One of the most meaningful parts of the day was their decision to do a first look and private vows before the ceremony, giving them the chance to share intimate promises with one another before later exchanging vows again in front of their loved ones. They also skipped a traditional sweetheart table in favor of sitting at a long table with their wedding party, which made dinner feel even more joyful and connected. Another favorite moment came at the very end of the night, when they shared one final slow dance to a song that meant something special to both of them — the perfect way to close out such a meaningful celebration.
Her top advice for future brides is one she wholeheartedly recommends: host a welcome party or rehearsal cocktail hour the night before your wedding. With so many guests traveling from out of town, having that uninterrupted time together ahead of the big day gave them the chance to personally thank everyone for coming and enjoy meaningful conversations without feeling pulled in every direction. It made their actual wedding day feel calmer, more relaxed, and allowed them to focus on what mattered most — celebrating with each other and the people they love.
What was the vision for your wedding?:
Simple & Modern. We knew we wanted to keep the colors neutral and highlight the beauty of Montana in the summer with the vibrant greens and blooming flowers. We chose our local vendors because we wanted to share our favorite things about Missoula with our family a friends; beer, BBQ and a good dance party! Our day was exactly as we envisioned it; perfect in every detail and moment.
How did it go on the day-of?:
The day was perfect because our vendors were incredible; we didn't worry about a thing. We chose to be non-traditional with our ceremony. My husband and I did a first look and private vows before the ceremony and this was the best decision we made and both of our favorite parts of the day. We got to share our intimate vows with each other and then share our promises with our loved ones later. We also had a large table and sat with our wedding party, opted not for a sweetheart table. This was so fun to eat with our closest friends and enjoy our meal! Another favorite moment was our final song dance. We chose a slow song that meant something to both of us, I felt like it was a great way to en the evening everyone dancing and wrapping up the night.
What is your #1 tip to future brides?:
One detail that made our wedding day less stressful was we hosted a "Welcome Party/Rehearsal Cocktail Hour" the night before. We hosted at a brewery with Pizza and drinks. We had the majority of our guests from out of town and we felt like this was an uninterrupted time we could talk and see everyone we wanted. We didn't feel like we were pulled in so many directions on our Wedding Day because we got to see everyone the night before and thank them for coming personally, on top of a big thank you on our day.
